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How to Buy a Swimsuit for your Unique Situation

Who doesn’t dream of lounging by a beach or the pool all summer long? Sometimes though an ill-fitting bathing suit can be a bother and ruin all the fun. But while there is a whole range of swimwear for various body sizes, sometimes it can be hard to find a perfect pair for women who may be pregnant, elderly or have a rather unusual body shapes. So here are some tips on buying a swimsuit for your unique situation and getting ready to bask all those admiring glances.

Swimsuits for elderly women

This group of women has in the past got rather a raw deal for some time from swimwear manufacturers. Senior women may have left their bikini days behind but that doesn’t mean they no longer wish to look nice on the beach. Fortunately now you can move beyond those frumpy and blousy swimsuits to shop for something more stylish. A good choice would be team up patterned tops with solid-colored short skirts – this on one hand would draw attention to the lovely top while offering some coverage to your lower half. A single piece swimsuit which is made of a slimming material is another great option as it will offer a streamlined look to your body and take care of the sagging bits. If you spend a lot of time near the water, a Speedo swimsuit might just be your best choice – go for a fun print swimsuit or one with flattering details for that extra oomph. If you wear women's sizes 14 - 26 and wish to go beyond the basic black swimsuit, consider a sarong style that will flatter your figure. Then again sport shorts are great for swimming, walking, relaxing and playing with grandchildren on the beach – what’s more these days they come in so many designs and patterns. Most of all, they're comfortable and provide the flattering coverage many women prefer.

Swimsuits for pregnant women

If you are pregnant, your first consideration while shopping for a swimsuit will most likely be comfort; but that doesn’t mean that you can look hot as a mommy-to-be. Luckily, these days there is a whole range of maternity swimwear available in stores, ranging from casual to chic. The problem though is that as your body shape keeps changing, so will the kind of swimwear that is most flattering to your figure. Even then here are some great ideas for maternity swimwear, depending on your stage of pregnancy.

In the early stages of a pregnancy, with a fuller bust but not necessarily a pregnant look, you can practically carry off anything. But if you are rather self-conscious about your thickening middle section, then a swingy tankini top can be a good choice – best of all, post-baby, this will come in really handy to cover any remaining jelly-bellies.

A good idea when choosing swimwear during your pregnancy is to make your bikini bottom pregnancy friendly. You can either go up a size in your old bikini style, try a bikini bottom with ties which make it totally adjustable to an expanding belly, or go the whole hog and buy a maternity bikini. Yet another option is to choose a bikini bottom that is made from a roll-top fabric, so you can roll it up or down to cover the muffin top, and yet have it comfortably rest under the belly.

In the second trimester, you may look noticeably pregnant but even then you have the option of wearing a normal bikini with pride – after all, you are not fat but a happy mommy-to-be.

You'll need either a larger cup size, or a more supportive style. Your best bets are halter style tops, and if really necessary, an underwire.If bikini season coincides with the last stage of your pregnancy, it is best to take things a bit easy. If you are comfortable showing off your pregnant belly, try a supportive bikini with larger bottom – this is not only wearing your pregnancy with pride but will ensure that comfort too – since this is a time when pregnant women experience heat flushes, fabric is kept to a minimum. Alternately you can look for a bikini with a supportive halter top and low rise bottoms that will fit snugly under your expanding belly.

However for pregnant women who wish for greater coverage, team up a maternity tankini top with a bottom that offers ample coverage. A good compromise between a maternity bikini and a maternity tankini is the flutter top. Lingerie inspired, it is actually a bikini top with two sheer panels that hang down, providing only a little bit of coverage which is great for sexy moms-to-be. For heavily pregnant bodies, one-piece swimsuits are often unattractive since they don't adhere properly to the belly - they pull in some places, gap in others. If you are concerned about stretch marks and the dark line on the belly, make liberal use of sun tan which is safe for your condition.

Above all, unless you have the resources to indulge, there is really no need to go for expensive maternity swimwear – instead look for bottoms that are easy to mix and match into your existing swim wardrobe. Keep in mind that your current size is rather temporary, so if cute-n-cheap works, then go with it.

Swimsuits for curvy women

Curvy women tend to have fuller busts and bottoms, sometimes with a bit of tummy too. The Mailot, is a good option in swimwear for these women – this is a traditional one-piece swimsuit, also known as a tank suit which is perfect for women who want a swimsuit with more coverage or who want to conceal a soft tummy or love handles. If you are conscious of your thighs, a one-piece swimsuit with a skirt attached adds an extra bit of coverage to the legs. You can also consider the kind where a keyhole-shaped cut-out in the front of a one-piece swimsuit takes a traditionally modest bathing suit and adds a dash of skin to it. This cut is perfect for curvy women who want to conceal their sides but show off a toned stomach and for women who want a non-traditional swimsuit. Triangle top bikinis work for curvy women who want to adjust the top to flatter their curves. Just as the name implies, the cups of a triangle top bikini are two triangular panels. The triangles may tie in the middle or be sewn together, but they almost always tie around the neck and in the back. If you want a bit of more support to your bust, then go for halter tops ties or connects behind the neck and in the back. Even a bandeau top can flatter your curves if you do not need much support on the top. Then again tankini tops are all the rage today since these hide a tummy while playing up the curves. In bottoms, you can go for string bikinis since in case of larger hips, you will be able to adjust the sides to fit.

Swimsuits for a long torso

For long and thin women, a great option in swimwear is to go for the belted look. If you're on the slimmer side, a plain one-piece won't give you any shape. Instead experiment with some circular cutouts and a belt to add the right amount of proportion to your figure and carve out an hourglass silhouette. Again if your long torso is more rectangular in shape, consider adding a peplum. A bikini or one-piece with a bit of peplum which should not exceed two-three inches makes for an adorable, feminine embellishment. While in pear-shaped women, this detail can balance a bust, in your case it works wonders to accentuate the waist. Better still, go for two-piece bikinis where you can mix and match the tops and bottoms according to size. Finally, don’t forget to check out brands which offer specific swimwear for women with long torsos so that your tops have a perfect fit.